Antonio Pierce stated that while he serves as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, they will adopt a strategy reminiscent of the aggressive tactics employed by the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons when facing Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs.
During a recent episode of Maxx Crosby’s podcast “The Rush,” Pierce detailed his approach to preparing his team for their matchup against the Chiefs, which resulted in a 20-14 upset on Christmas Day in Kansas City, marking the Chiefs’ final loss before winning Super Bowl LVIII.
In the lead-up to the game, Pierce, then acting as interim coach, emphasized to his team the importance of developing a disdain for the color red, drawing parallels to iconic boxing and MMA matches and the defensive intensity displayed by the NBA’s Detroit Pistons against Michael Jordan in the late 1980s under coach Chuck Daly.
“We’re implementing what I’ll now refer to as the Patrick Mahomes rules,” Pierce remarked on the podcast, likening it to the “Jordan rules” employed against Jordan by the Pistons in the 1980s. “Just like Jordan faced intense pressure from the Pistons before his rise to fame, we applied physicality and mental pressure on Mahomes.”
In that pivotal game, the Raiders registered four sacks on Mahomes and delivered 10 quarterback hits. Additionally, they scored two defensive touchdowns, including a pick-six off Mahomes by cornerback Jack Jones. These defensive efforts proved to be some of the most effective against Mahomes in his career, as the Chiefs went on to win six consecutive games, including four playoff matches, culminating in their Super Bowl triumph over the San Francisco 49ers.
Reflecting on the significance of the victory, Pierce, now the team’s permanent head coach, asserted that the Raiders had unveiled a winning strategy against the Chiefs.
Acknowledging the impact of their defeat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid conveyed gratitude to Pierce, recognizing the lesson learned from the loss. This appreciation was shared as the Chiefs utilized the Raiders’ facilities at Allegiant Stadium ahead of the Super Bowl.
Pierce views the Chiefs’ use of their facility as motivation for his team, emphasizing the importance of winning the AFC West to establish themselves as consistent contenders. He stressed the necessity of dethroning the Chiefs, who have dominated the division for the past eight seasons, as the initial step towards achieving their objectives.